Gem of a town: Grinnell, Iowa, nicknamed Jewel of the Prairie

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May 14, 2020 at 10:02 AMMay 14, 2020 at 10:02 AM

A popular Iowa college town offers visitors a peaceful, quiet visit with interesting things to do and great pizza.

Grinnell is home to Grinnell College, which adds to the comfortable and inviting feel of this city of just over 9,000 residents. It is a place where visitors can walk the streets, shop, eat and enjoy the friendly, laid-back atmosphere.

Grinnell is known as the Jewel of the Prairie, as it is loaded with some of Iowa’s best independent restaurants and unique shops. It has been named as one of the Top Ten Coolest Small Towns in America by travel journalists.

HistoryA visit must include spending some time admiring the Merchants’ National Bank building, one of the eight Midwestern “jewel box” banks designed by Louis Sullivan, an architecture legend and mentor to Frank Lloyd Wright.

The jewel box banks are made of brick. For the Grinnell bank, Sullivan chose a variety of brick colors, giving the 1914 building a reddish-brown appearance. The building has a jewel box or strongbox look with an ornamental interior and cathedral-like exterior.

The building is open to the public. It is currently the Grinnell Area Chamber of Commerce and visitors center. It is open year-round Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call ahead for a weekend visit. Docents are often available to answer questions. For more information call 641-236-6555.

ArtGrinnell thrives in arts and culture. The Grinnell College Museum of Art, formerly known as the Faulconer Gallery, is in the Bucksbaum Center for the Arts and is worth a stop. The museum offers major exhibits from international and national artists. The museum encompasses a print and drawing study room that offers students and faculty a place to see original works on paper from the museum’s collection, including some by Pablo Picasso and Rembrandt van Rijn. The museum has more than 6,000 items.

It is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday except for major holidays, but is currently closed due to the pandemic. Check the website for opening information or contact wrightl@grinnell.edu. The museum is also offering virtual tours and information from the artists at grinnell.edu/campus-life/arts-culture/museum.

Unique stayThere were probably times, as a student, you might have fallen asleep in class, but this unique, fun hotel offers visitors a chance to sleep in a classroom and not get in trouble.

Hotel Grinnell is a 1921 former junior high building with a variety of modern hotel rooms. Although the rooms are modern, they are also retro, and the design incorporates school items such as benches and the original hardwood floors. Rooms, in general, are half classroom and proved to be quiet and peaceful.

The hotel uses a bit of humor. An example is the necktie visitors hang on the door to not be disturbed. Rooms are not all the same as the former locker rooms are now bunk rooms. Each room also has a chalkboard. One of guests’ favorite amenities are the complimentary bikes to get around town.

Different artwork is displayed in each room. The halls have been kept looking like a school, yet with a comfortable setting of a modern hotel.

The Periodic Table bar takes on a gymnasium look with an operating scoreboard on the wall. Owner-Operator Angela Harrington said the bar specializes in craft cocktails and mocktails. They have suspended food service at this time to encourage guests to dine around town.

The hotel is currently open with touchless check-in and has suspended daily cleaning services to minimize the exposure to others of each room. However, there are always housekeeping services available when needed. Visit hotelgrinnell.com for more information.

PizzaThere are a variety of great restaurants in Grinnell, and one that pizza seekers stand in line for is Pagliai’s, known for their fresh made dough. They have been serving up pies since 1957. They also offer made from scratch dishes passed down from generation to generation. It won’t disappoint and is within walking distance of Hotel Grinnell. Visit pagliaisgrinnellia.com for hours and new on when dine-in reopens.

Grinnell is a gem of a town located between Des Moines and Iowa City. It is well worth the short venture off I-80 to enjoy a day, a weekend, or to kick back for a few days and enjoy a peaceful walkable community adventure.

If you travel soon, make sure to check online or with the places you plan to visit to see if they are open, or have new hours, etc.

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